Finding Love
by witch-mistress-animaru
Summary: SS Bestselling writer Sakura must face the ghosts of her past for her newest novel—specifically, a "ghost" named Li Syaoran, who bullied her years back. However, could it be that he didn't mean to do it? Then...why? Could it be...that...?
1. Full Summary

Finding Love

Witch-Mistress-Animaru

A/N: I have loads of ideas going, mainly the reason why I'm launching stories anew. Just the same with MHW, I'll start with summaries. This is the most pined-after story, so I'll start with it. Beloved Enemy and Fated will be back soon, I think. I hope you'd take time to read the summaries of my crazy stories.

One-time disclaimer: I don't own CCS but I own the plot!

**FINDING LOVE**

Sakura Kinomoto, 23 years old, stuck up, uptight, conservative and… a successful writer. Having earned her first bestseller for writing something based on Tomoyo's and Eriol's love story, Sakura pursues to earn yet another one for writing about fiction, so to prove that she earned her bestseller because she was a great writer, and not because the love story she wrote was great. And she succeeded. This time, though, following Tomoyo's suggestion, she started writing about herself. Not openly, of course, but she used her own experiences to launch a daring book that will bare her soul. The problem is, she has to start with somewhere far from her New York apartment, far from her solitude. She has to start with…where else? Tomoeda, Japan, her hometown, also known as Living Hell.

And of all the pure, rotten luck she had, of all the people she had to meet on her first day back, she had to bump to him — Li Syaoran, the resident jerk of Tomoeda High way back her time. He made her life miserable, so much, in fact, that he was the supposed model of the antagonist she had pictured in her new novel.

But all of sudden, tables had turned. He seems to be genuinely interested in her, and seemed to have forgotten how they despised each other years back. Eventually, they begin going out, and she was so much up in cloud 9 that she had forgotten all about her new novel. Her supposed villain started to turn to Prince Charming.

Then, when she least expected it, Li Syaoran did something unforgivable. He hurt her, betrayed her. That was when she poured out all her angst in the novel. Afterward, intent to go back to New York and forget about Japan, she had to forget her manuscript, which, in turn, was read accidentally by Syaoran, who didn't know she was working on a novel.

This time, it's Syaoran who's mad at her. And he's intent to make her pay.

A/N: So what do you think?


	2. Chapter 1:Writer

Finding Love

A/N: I'm back, I'm back. Currently, I'm still having a writer's block on MHW, so I'm just continuing the rest of my stories for now. I've updated them all: Stolen Moments, Gangster's Paradise, Chasing after Love, Finding Love, and Fated. All of them, that is, except My Husband's Wedding and Beloved Enemy. Sorry to the followers of MHW, but I'd update it soon, promise. The fics I have uploaded did not yield much reviews, but loads of hits so I decided to start them anyway. By God, how my hand aches! I won't have a thank-you corner now, but next chapter there will be one. I lost the backup of Beloved enemy's Chapter 2. Now, let's start!

P.S. There is only one author's note for four of the stories; I'm really in such a hurry. I'll answer all your queries later, okay?

For Finding Love: Meet Sakura the writer!!!

1: Writer

"Sakura, you need to take a break." Tomoyo's voice sounded weary over the phone. "You're being too hard on yourself."

"Tomoyo, I just can't. I have a deadline to catch for my column in _Shimmer._" Sakura sighed, spearing a tuna sashimi with a fork and popping it to her mouth. "Damn, these foreign-managed Japanese fast food chains just can't get our delicacies right. This sure tastes weird."

"What are you eating, anyway? And don't go changing the subject. You don't really need that journalistic job of yours. Judging by how fast the royalty checks keep on coming, you're a rich woman now, Sakura. You didn't earn those bestseller ranks for nothing."

"Tuna sashimi, I'm eating tuna sashimi. And I take back what I said…It's not weird; it tastes _awful,_ if you know what I mean. Stupid food chains…"

"Sakura…" Tomoyo's voice was thin of patience.

"Okay, okay! Don't go flying off the handle. I have more than enough money, yes, but that won't last long if I don't work. Besides," she rolled over the couch and sat upright. "It's not really about earning money. It's about passion. I love my work."

"More than you love yourself? Sakura, admit it. You. Need. A. Break." Then, on a much fiercer tone, she added, "I bet you haven't added a single sentence on that new novel of yours."

"Writer's block is normal, Tomoyo-chan, and in case you have forgotten, I have no readymade plot this time. It's based on nobody's love story, Tomoyo unlike my first."

"Yeah, right," scoffed Tomoyo, "How about your second novel? That was fiction and yet it took you two months tops to finish it."

"Ugh, Tomoyo, why can't you lay off me for once?" Sakura closed her eyes, rubbing her temple.

"I'm only concerned about you, Sakura." She said in a hurt voice, "The last time I saw you, you were a walking and talking zombie with eye bags as large as your face. Now you're even biting my head off."

Guiltily, Sakura's eyes snapped open.

"Okay, okay. Suppose I agree and take a break, where can I go so that they won't be able to find me, recognize me as Cherry Avalon, or contact me in any way?"

"I know the perfect place!" Tomoyo squealed, her voice lightening. Sakura knew at once that it was a trap. She nearly groaned out loud. "Tomoeda."

"What?" Sakura shrieked the word out and she nearly fell out of the couch. "You've got to be kidding me! There's no way I'd go back there, no way! My brother, for one, and… and…"

"Don't panic, Sakura," there was a definite hint of glee in Tomoyo's voice now, barely hidden by mock innocence. "It was just a suggestion. But think about it…"

"No way will I go back there, no freaking way!"

"Come on, it was such a good idea. Those paparazzi won't find you there, and the whole American public won't be able to retrace your steps there perfectly."

"Okay," she figured that Tomoyo won't give the idea up so quickly. "I'll think about it. But I still think you're evil, Tomoyo."

"I know I am. And you need someone like me as a friend. Hey, by the way, you haven't told me a single thing about this new story of yours."

"Um, it's still unclear, Tomoyo…" She lied. "It's not sure yet. You're right, I need a break."

She heard a man's voice in the background.

"Okay, Eriol, I'm there sweetheart! Listen," she turned to Sakura, "We have to go. It's our fifth month anniversary and we're celebrating. I'll talk to you later, okay?" There was a click and Tomoyo was off the line.

Sakura pushed the 'end' button on her mobile phone and sat up. The tuna sashimi she was complaining about earlier lay forgotten beside her.

She had not been totally honest with Tomoyo. In fact, she had told her best friend loads of lies. First, the novel she was working on was based on someone's life. Her life, in fact. And there wasn't really much to tell, and she thought of it as desperately dull. She had no real life prospects. But it was true that she was unable to write anything new because she was bummed out.

_Tomoyo's right, I need a break,_ she conceded, feeling very much irritated and tired.

_Hmm, it isn't such a bad idea to go to Tomoeda. I can walk down memory lanes and gather material for my novel._

"That's it!" She shouted, jumping up suddenly, sending the plate of sashimi flying everywhere. "I'm going to Tomoeda!"

She looked around her, the mess almost unbearable, then finally, at the tuna sashimi scattered around her feet.

"Oh dear, it wasn't really that bad…now it's all wasted. Ugh, I hate cleaning up!"

She took a broom and dustpan and cleaned up the clutter. Her whole flat was a mess, she thought. Crumpled paper lay everywhere, cords of appliances tangled with each other. Several clothes and dresses were on the floor, amid a pile of old magazines and several books. Even her bed was unmade, the covers carelessly rumpled.

Sakura scratched her head in frustration.

_Why the hell my flat ended up looking like a jungle?_

She shook her head before she began picking up the crumpled paper and her clothes. She needs to visit the nearest Laundromat soon, maybe later today.

She had a long day cleaning because she didn't want to leave anything out once she leaves.

A few hours later, Sakura lay wasted on the couch (She didn't dare touch her made-up bed), sweat all over her face, her hair disheveled.

But there was no time to linger. She packed her things up and called a plane ticket agency, reserving herself a place on the flight to Japan that evening. She forced herself to stand up a few minutes later and headed for the computer table.

She finished the article she had written for _Shimmer_ and sent it via email to her editor, with the message:

_Gone on vacation. Be back in a few weeks_

_-Sakura_

_P.S. Attached is my last article for Shimmer, for the meantime. Bye!_

She sighed and glanced at the wall clock. It read 5:45. Her flight is due on 7:15, and she had to pick up her plane ticket on the travel agency. She called for cab service and waited.

_Oh, well, time to go, _she thought when the cab stopped in front of her house.

She swept a lingering glance on her working table, and saw the manuscript she was working on, "Searching for me." She smiled as she took it and placed it among her baggage.

_You're a genius, Sakura._ She grinned widely as she carried her bags out and stepped inside the cab.

TBC


	3. Chapter 2: Journey

Finding Love

Witch-Mistress-Animaru

A/N: My life just stopped being complicated for a while, so I took the chance to update as many fics as possible. Don't be confused by the author's notes in Fated and Beloved Enemy's first few chapters; I didn't bother changing them and I wrote them back in my high school years. I was a sophomore, I think. That happened three years ago, nearing four, as I'm officially a college sophomore this coming school year. Crap, I'm forced to take summer classes because stupid CMC (College of Mass Comm.) doesn't offer NSTP on regular semesters, only summers. And CRS team resigned, so goodbye, online enlistment. Here we go, manual enlistment, line up everyone!

Here goes Finding Love!

(Rats, I thought I lost my first draft…)

2: Journey

AKA Unexpected Meeting

_This is it, _Sakura thought to herself, _there's no turning back._

She approached the ticket booth with a cheery smile, and even if she won't admit it, excitement flowed through her veins.

"Good evening," she greeted the teller with a bright, sunny smile. "The name's Kinomoto Sakura and I've come to pick up the ticket I booked. If I'm not mistaken, the flight's tonight…"

"Just a moment, ma'am…" There was a pregnant pause, and Sakura heard the woman mutter, "What?" and typed furiously again. "Um, ma'am, we're afraid there's been a mistake."

"What?" She was still smiling, but her eyes were beginning to look annoyed.

"We…seem to have double-booked your flight. In fact, somebody else has taken your ticket and is on his way to the airport now."

"What?! This is not fair! I booked a flight and paid for it!"

"Um, we'll arrange for you to leave on the next flight. That would be nine o'clock this evening."

"What do you mean? I booked a seat for the seven o'clock flight, not the later one!" She stopped smiling. She was starting to get annoyed.

"I'm afraid it won't be possible unless someone cancels his bookings, ma'am."

"So it's my fault that you people made such a stupid mistake?"

"Please, ma'am, um…If you want…"

"What I do want is to leave on the plane that I'm supposed to be boarding at seven, not a minute later. Can you do that or do I have to refund my nonexistent ticket?" She lost all good reasoning in her.

"Um…ma'am, please don't cause a scene…"

"I'll do as I please since you people don't know how to treat your client right!"

"What's going on in here?" A slightly accented male voice said from behind her.

"Mr. Li! Sorry for the little misunderstanding…we're fixing it now, sir."

_Li?_ Sakura thought as she wheeled around to find the face of the man she had despised for many years. Li Syaoran, only a few years older, but looking as if he matured a little too earlier than she would have expected.

But he wasn't wearing that cocky smile anymore. Gone was the mischievous, boyish grin in his face. There was no trace of the smirks he used to wear whenever he wanted to insult Sakura. In fact, he didn't seem to recognize her at all.

"Is there a problem, Miss?"

"Yes!" She said, straightening up. "Your airline double-booked my ticket and insist upon sending me to the next flight, two hours later! Now if it isn't incompetence, what would it be?"

"I understand your flight has been delayed. But is two hours really a big deal, Miss —?"

"Never mind that, Mr. Li. The thing is, I can't afford such a delay. Are you siding with your employees then?"

"I never said that. But being angry and insensible will not solve anything. I think they are trying to make up for their mistakes, things being as they are. If, of course, you choose to refund, then it would be your prerogative. We would gladly refund should you decide so."

Sakura felt her cheeks almost redden. _Damn him for making her feel so childish!_

"Of course, I'll be taking that flight. I don't have any choice. But if I may express my severe disappointment in such service from a supposedly-reputable airline."

Li Syaoran only bowed down at her.

"You are entitled on your own opinion." He said. "Angel, a word in my office, please."

As the tellers bustled over handing her ticket to her, she could hear them talking almost inaudibly.

"You go, Angel…If I'd known that's the punishment I would have taken over…"

"…Really firm in decisions…"

"…The lady didn't stand a chance of winning against him…"

"…Handsome, too…"

"…If only he wasn't so unapproachable…"

She heard enough. Clearing her throat loudly, she gestured to her watch. One of the girls awarded her with a glare. That was when she reverted to Japanese.

"Baka no shojo, bakero." (Sorry if that doesn't come out right. I'm studying Jap soon, don't worry.) She spat out, and they obviously didn't understand her.

"It's impolite to speak a different language to those who can't understand," a voice behind her said. It was him again!

"Nani? I only stated my opinion of them."

"Then let me translate that. Girls, she said you were all being idiots, and that you annoy her, I think, because of the usage of that foul Japanese word."

"Arigatou Gozaimasu, Li-kun," she said, and was glad to see the look of surprise on his face. "I so badly wanted to say that without sounding impolite." With that, she stalked off without further ado. But not before she has made sure he heard her say "Baka" one last time.

--

"Baka," the lady said before she departed. Syaoran knew then that she must be of Japanese descent and not a mere tourist to that country.

_She has a fair point, _he thought as he gazed at his employees giggling like crazy inside.

"Angel, a word." He had to warn them about something like this happening again.

"Wait, sir…Ms. Kinomoto forgot her change here."

"What did you say her name was?" A distant memory flashed before his eyes: a certain girl with auburn hair and green eyes hidden by spectacles, tears glistening from her eyes as he teased her.

That was a shameful part of the past; he was a bully back then and created troubles incessantly.

_She can't be Kinomoto Sakura!_

"…Kinomoto, sir."

"What did you say?

"Sakura Kinomoto, sir. Why? Should I ban her?"

"No…it's just that…" He smiled, a bit of his arrogant old self back. "Is there any vacant seats in the nine o'clock flight?"

"There's one, sir. Right beside her seat." Angel said, frowning.

"I'll be going for a vacation, everyone. See you in a week or so." He grinned a bit, thinking of how he may reminisce all those years.

--

Sakura was already boarding the plane. She was sitting there, idly flipping a magazine provided by the plane. She wasn't really seeing the pictures or articles. She gazed at it like it was some portal to the past.

_The king of jerks owns this stupid airline? But I must admit I behaved rather childishly. Why do I even have to cross paths with him again?_

She closed her eyes, preparing to sleep throughout the ride. Then someone took the seat beside her. She didn't want to open her eyes but she felt that someone watching her. She opened her eyes to see…

…a nightmare. He was grinning like he was planning something evil, and she didn't like it at all.

_What the hell is he doing here? He's not supposed to ride commercial planes…_

"Hello, Kinomoto."

She was shocked. Then she gained composure and looked away. It was good that she wore shades.

"Took you long enough, Li."

"Hostile as ever, then. I only wanted to greet you. It's a long time since I last saw someone from our class."

"Talk to someone else; I won't bother."

"You've changed a lot. So tell me, what do you do for a living?"

"I write. Please shut up, Li." The plane engines have warmed up, and they started to ascend to the skies.

"Write, as in write news or fiction?"

"Fiction. Yamero, I won't be interviewed or I'd be terribly unbearable."

"But this silence is so infuriating. I want someone to talk with." He insisted, his eyes prying at her.

She didn't answer as the plane levered up, and they steadied in the clouds.

"Go sit with someone else."

"This is the only one available."

"I see." She turned to him, her expression inscrutable. "Then go mind your own business, baka."

"That's the second time you've used that tonight. I won't here of it anymore."

"Whatever. Shut up."

Syaoran only smiled this time, and rested his head on the seat.

"Sure."

**One hour later**

Sakura snuggled closer to her pillow, or whatever it was that she was leaning against. It was so warm; she didn't want to remove herself from it. Then it hit her.

_What pillow? I'm in an airplane!_

She turned to see Li Syaoran smirking at her.

"Enjoyed your sleep, sweetheart? Have you had sweet dreams?" He said, grinning like crazy.

"No, I almost had a nightmare." _Opportunist! I'm not even in Japan yet, and you're already destroying my day!_

"But you really enjoyed sleeping in my arms. Or rather, my shoulder, Kinomoto."

She turned away and didn't speak to him.

**Syaoran **really wanted to laugh. She looked outraged by how she fell asleep. He didn't mean to make fun of her but he can't help it. She was so cute even while sleeping. He admits taking advantage of her, but it's also true he didn't want to wake her up.

_Oh, God, he didn't have so much fun since high school. He had to deal with so many things, forcing him to grow up. It's nice to know he hasn't lost that side of him._

His smile faded as he gazed at the vastness of the sky outside the window.

At that moment, both of them had visited their respective pasts, walking down memory lanes, facing their own ghosts…

It was a journey they'd never forget.

And it has just begun.


	4. Chapter 3: The Freak and the Famous

Finding Love

Witch-Mistress-Animaru

A/N: Here goes the next installment of Finding Love…whew…I'm speechless. What is there to say anyway, that has not been said yet? So just read and relax!

3: The Freak and the Famous

AKA _So Starts Hell for Kinomoto Sakura_

"Oniichan! We're going to be late if you don't hurry up!"

"Speak for yourself, kaijuu." He smirked, looking very much annoying as he stood there, still pajama-clad and hair-tousled. "I don't have classes today."

Sakura, who was strapping on her rollerblades, stopped what she was doing, nearly losing her balance as she did. "What do you mean? It's the start of term, oniichan!"

"I don't go to high school, baka." She let the insult pass, knowing it was meant to infuriate her. "Term hasn't started at university yet, and I'm only coming to arrange my schedules. Meaning, I can come anytime I pleased."

"No fair! And you didn't even tell me; I waited for you, you know?"

"Did you even ask? Besides, I'd hate to disillusion you that you woke up earlier for school than I did, even just once."

"Eh?! Of all the most inconsiderate brothers I could have had considering my tough luck, I had to have you!"

Touya merely shrugged that off, causing her temper to blow full-steam.

"Whatever. If I were you, I'd be on my way now. Can't be late on the first day of class, or can you? I never understood how a monster's mind works, anyway, if it has one."

"I'm no monster!"

"Sure, sure…if you don't mind I'm going back to sleep." He feigned a yawn. "Unlike some unfortunate person here, I don't have anything to do all morning."

"Ugh, you really infuriate me, oniichan! Good morning to you as well — sweet nightmares on your lie-in!"

"Hai, hai…Arigato gozaimasu, kaijuu…I'm sure to dream of your monstrousness anyway."

"WHAT-EVER!" She enunciated the word and started her trek to school.

She reached school barely on time, something Tomoyo, her best friend since second grade, was keen to notice as she propped down on her seat.

"You're almost late, Sakura, and it's the first day, too."

"Yeah…so would you be if you waited for an annoying brother who didn't have the heart to tell you that university term hasn't started yet."

"Oh," Tomoyo giggled at her apparent anger. "You squabbled with Touya-san again? You two are really close."

"What do you mean, 'close'? You've got to be kidding me!"

"Whatever you say," she suppressed a giggle again, and tried not to grin. "Anyway, you're lucky. It looks like our new homeroom teacher is late as well."

Sakura listened to Tomoyo while she arranged her books in front of her desk with excess vigor. After having done so, she sat back and extracted a notebook from her bag. Tomoyo groaned.

"You're writing again," she said with an exaggerated sigh. "What is it about this time?"

"Nothing, really," Sakura answered, ignoring Tomoyo's tone. "I just thought of a plot from the last novel I read. I thought I better get a move on the story."

"If you aren't reading, you're writing. Do you ever have any other activities other than that?"

"Tomoyo, don't make it sound so pathetic. You know I love doing this."

"But it is a bit pathetic if you ask me," her friend said, her tone cautious and apologetic.

"You don't understand me when it comes to this, Tomoyo."

"So you say, so you say. I don't really mind it much, but, c'mon, I wanted to chat with you for once. When was the last time we talked about nothing?"

"Can't remember." Tomoyo knew it was a losing battle. When Sakura's answers became clipped and almost inaudible, she knew she should stop pushing her further. She hated being disturbed when she wrote, she knew. She was about to leave her to it, when Sakura propped eyeglasses on before she started writing.

"Eh, Sakura…what's with those glasses?"

"Huh?" Sakura straightened up from what she was doing and turned to Tomoyo. "Oh. Correctives, this pair. Dad got it for me."

"That's what you get for doing nothing but read and write all day long."

"Shh! Skip the lecture now, Tomoyo. I'm on such a good part…"

"There you go again…"

They were senior students at Tomoeda High. Sakura was known for her ardor for writing. She wasn't exactly an outcast. The popular-thingy did not exist in their school. Or at least, not blatantly. There are those who acted like they owned the world, but they were usually the ones who got shunned to the side. In their section most especially, IV-A, everyone's a bit chummy with each other. Even opposite poles are on speaking terms. The popular people in their class respect Sakura as well as her band of eccentric writers. They all belong in the school paper, and were on the honor roll as well. One would do well not to fight with them.

Speaking of the school paper, Sakura thought she ought to try her luck on being the EIC of their paper. Most probably, though, Naoko Yanagisawa will get it. Still, she's going to take the grueling exam. She wasn't going to miss her chance. Even if it's just one chance.

Smiling at that thought, her hand moved listlessly over the paper, pouring out her thoughts and plot on it. Her mind worked over the minor details of her story, thinking of letting her best friend read it later as amends to her neglect of their friendship.

But just as she got to the good part, Tomoyo nudged her gently. She looked up, irritated, in time to see Terada-sensei enter the room. She cursed under her breath and dropped her pen reluctantly.

"Ohayou gozaimasu, minna," He said, gesturing for them to remain seated as there was a scramble to stand.

""Ohayou gozaimasu, Terada-sensei," was the response from them.

"Right…so this is the final year, eh? You better enjoy it as much as you can. Just don't cross the rules, you'll be fine." He paused. "There isn't much to do today. You'll be meeting your teachers. And you have a new classmate as well."

There were faint murmurs around the room. Everyone but Sakura wondered who it was. She was busy preparing the plot of her masterpiece.

"Mr. Li, you can come in now."

There were gasps all around the classroom as a chestnut brown-haired boy entered the room, looking sulky.

Sakura looked up to see the new student. It was famous Li Syaoran, teen idol and son of a business tycoon. No wonder the girls all swooned before him. Outside the room, there were a dozen girls screaming their hearts out. She shook her head. Just how dense can these girls get?

Tomoyo didn't even give him a second glance, and that was all she needed. She shrugged as well, returning to her story as the girls went gaga over him.

"Now, girls! Girls! Will you please stop crowding Mr. Li? We are a civilized lot, aren't we?" Mr. Terada looked stricken by the sudden display of misconduct by his students.

"Eeh! Li-sama, marry me!"

"I had a crush on you since you debuted in 'Ohayo Nippon!'"

"Won't you go out with me, Syaoran-sama?"

"Daisuki!"

"I'm going to faint!"

"Is this for real?"

"Li-sama, Li-sama!" The girls chanted his name as they smothered her. It was so freakish that Sakura laughed loudly. Tomoyo was stifling hers. Sakura did the same, but too late, she caught the attention of the rest of the class.

"Why are you laughing?" One of them asked.

"N-nothing…" She breathed. It was really hilarious to find a famous person being mobbed by their usually respectable class.

"Silence! Everyone, please treat Mr. Li with respect. No more such outrageous displays, do you hear?"

"Er —" Li started to speak and everyone turned to listen. "Please treat me nothing special, really…"

The girls all cooed again and shrieked their hearts out.

"Oh, he's so modest…"

"Aishiteru, Li-sama!"

"Syaoran-sama, we love you!"

Li Syaoran looked definitely awkward, but she knew better than to believe that. She knew he's enjoying the attention so much, just like the rest of the TV personalities.

The hypocrisy, she thought viciously. If there was one 'profession' she despised, it was showbiz, nothing more, nothing less. She was under the impression that these famous people suffer from extreme cases of ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder). She'd do better than mingle with such airheads.

Not that anybody ever agreed with her, not even Tomoyo. Tomoyo disliked the hero worship of the people for these famous personalities, but she didn't think too unkindly of them. Not that she had any reason to do so, not like Sakura, who always hated popularity itself and shunned fame and the limelight to one side.

She turned her attention to her notebook, poring over what should be done next on the story.

Unfortunately, she cannot focus well on it, what with the shrieking and cooing all about. Before she knew it, cameras were flashing and reporters made their way inside. She nearly groaned out loud, but she tried to suppress her dismay still.

"Mr. Li, is it true this is the result of your kissing scene with a leading lady?"

"Are your elders punishing you for it?"

"Are you really retiring so early, Mr. Li?"

"Do you think you won't miss the publicity, Syaoran-san?"

Mr. Terada did his best to shove the reporters away, while Li Syaoran covered his face.

"Please, sirs, this is not the time! We are about to have class here…so if you please!"

Finally, after what seemed to be an hour, the reporters were driven away. A moment's silence rang all over the room.

She paid no attention as Mr. Terada explained Li Syaoran's circumstances. She hardly noticed that he took the seat beside her, or that every girl in the room except her best friend threw dagger glances her way. She didn't even give him a glance. She didn't find the guy wonderful as they do, and that was it.

**Syaoran** looked beside him, a little bit awed. The girl beside him was the only one who did not seem impressed by having him for a classmate. Not that he cared, of course, but it was really something new to him.

But there was something else. Despite the eyeglasses, she was a looker. And she appeared familiar to him. Why, he did not know. There were a dozen others who were definitely more appealing than her. Yet he was arrested by her face.

"Ano…" He whispered to her, ensuring nobody else heard him or the girl would definitely be in trouble. "Miss, can you…I mean, show me around here?"

"Huh?" She looked up, apparently surprised. She turned to him and he was surprised to see loathing in her fierce green eyes. "Are you talking to me?" Her voice was rimmed with ice, and she didn't bother whispering. He almost groaned.

"Y-yeah, sort of," he answered, lowering his voice although it did not help at all. Every girl in the room was staring at both of them.

"I see. I'm busy, if you don't mind. Go find someone else to toy with." She said dismissively before returning to her notes.

He so damn nearly blushed from embarrassment. If that wasn't a direct turn-down, ergo, an insult, then he didn't know what it was. And to think it was the first time he tried to be friendly with a virtual stranger. What a blow on his manly ego. If his friends found out about it, he's dead meat. They'd never let him live it down.

"But it's you I asked." He said, feeling annoyed that he was actually re-issuing the invite.

"But I declined," she whispered to him, a sarcastic smile on her pretty lips.

He felt like he just got slapped.

_Fine, if that's the way you want it!_

"Thanks anyway. I was only testing you, nerd." The words slipped before he could stop them. And he nearly kicked himself when he saw the brief pained expression that crossed her face. Then she shrugged it all off, returning to her cold demeanor.

"You never had me fooled anyway," she said, although he thought that was a lie.

"Anyway, missy, thanks for the _warm_ welcome. Rest assured I'll return it a thousand times more."

"Suit yourself," she shrugged again, making him feel inferior and childish.

Pretending to shrug it off as well, he turned away and tried to ignore the curious eyes darting his way.

"Sakura," a raven-haired girl called from the girl's other side. She looked worried, and she cast an apologetic look his way. "It's nearly lunchtime, let's go."

"I'll get to it, Tomoyo, just let me finish this line."

"Oh, if I let you do that, you'll never finish. Let's go, or all the good spots will be gone, so are the food."

"You go without me."

"Oh, no, you're not skipping lunch! Bring that wretched notebook with you and we can go down."

"Just a few lines more…"

"Sakura!"

_So Sakura was her name. It suited her well. But I'd say Rose would have been more appropriate._

What the hell was he thinking? He was contemplating about the girl, for God's sake!

Yet there was no denying it. The girl called Sakura caught his attention, in a good way. Only he wasn't used to that, so fiasco was where he was headed, though he didn't know it yet. Nor did he realize until much, much later, that he wanted badly to impress her, but only made her hate him in the long way.

Sakura, of course, realized that trouble headed her way. All the girls turned cold towards her, and that only cemented her opinion of showbiz people: superficial and egoistic.

And she carried that definition with her for a long time. Until they met again, much, much later, when she could be famous but chose not to be, and when he lost all life's meaning to familial responsibilities.

They started off badly, could they end up nicely? Syaoran is very much intent on courting her later, but will she shove away his advances still?

Hmm…Looks like both overlooked some details of their past acquaintance.

Much is still to be said about their past and future, some things they both intend to hide or forget, somehow, but not quite buried and forgotten.

For nothing shall remain hidden in this journey of self-discovery they chose to embark on.

And everything may change with only one particular moment.

TBC

A/N: I left a lot of things hanging, like why Sakura hates showbiz and fame, although I revealed here that it wasn't Syaoran's intention to make Sakura's life a living hell back then (he's actually crushing on her!), though he will only realize that later. I still have a few cards up my sleeve. Like the sibling quarrel issue between Sakura and Touya. I wonder how I pull that one off. It's up to you to find out in the next chapters, isn't it? So see you next chapter, then!


	5. Chapter 4: Attracted and Disgusted

Finding Love

Witch-Mistress-Animaru

A/N: Urgh, this will be updated on Wednesday, I think. My mom's under my foot right now. I'll type this up tomorrow.

(A/N done June 11, 2007)

Had to familiarize with last chapter. No time to dawdle. Have class early tomorrow.

(Added June 13, 2007)

4: Attracted and Disgusted

(Part 1 of Sakura and Syaoran's Renewed Acquaintance)

The plane's engines whirred on and on, taking up speed. The mist outside their windows grew thicker, but neither Sakura nor Syaoran ever took notice.

Syaoran was busy gaping at the woman across the aisle of the plane — a blonde, blue-eyed woman. Statuesque, supermodel-type. Pretty, but that was a given. He was actually busy gaping at her crossed legs to notice the face. The woman wore a micromini — the super-short miniskirts one sees. Pink stilettos were strapped on her heels. Typical American socialite, he thought, gazing blankly at her.

Sakura can't believe this guy, she decided. Was he a maniac or something? But she decided old habits are hard to break. She edged away from him, as far away as their seats would allow her. _God,_ she thought with disgust, _he's like a teenager doing a poor imitation of Peeping Tom!_

To her mortification, the woman caught Syaoran staring at her. She quickly looked away, fearing that the woman thought her to be perverted or something.

Yet she saw through the corner of her eyes how the woman winked at him. _Winked,_ for heaven's sake! No angry lashing or any mortified reaction! The woman coyly crossed and uncrossed her legs in silent invitation. She was flirting with him, dear God!

Huffing in disbelief, Sakura looked away from the disgusting scene. But what did she care, anyway? He wasn't anything to her — just an old acquaintance who happened to be her seatmate in this plane ride.

_So why are you so damn affected, Sakura?_ An evil voice squawked inside her head. Shaking her head, she turned her attention to the rather uninteresting view to her right — misty, snow-white clouds.

Then she heard Syaoran chuckle beside her. She turned to see that he was no longer looking at the blonde, and that he was gazing at her with amusement.

**Syaoran** can't help but grin wildly at Sakura's reaction. He knew she was watching, so he purposely flirted with the blonde American on the other side of the plane.

He was glad to elicit some sort of reaction from her.

That admission surprised him, considering that he never recognized his true feelings for the cheeky, feisty seatmate he had back in school. She was always cold and unforgiving towards him, especially when she was the center of his childish maneuvers and pranks — all meant to have her notice him.

"What are you laughing at?" She asked hotly, a bit haughtily, as before. He only shook his head and chuckled again.

"You're laughing at my expense again, as always, Li." She accused, eyeing him with dislike. Before she could turn away again, he spoke up.

"Can't you even forget our…er…past, Sakura?" He said, eyeing her wistfully. She changed a lot over the years, he thought, and for the better, too.

He liked her more than ever now.

"Our past?" She asked, looking rather indignant. "Whatever does that mean? I barely know you, Li, and that one school year we shared hardly accounts for anything in my life now."

"Ah, how you wound me," he said, half-joking. His eyes lingered on her face. "You're looking good." He commented, hoping she'd yield this time.

No such luck.

"And you're looking the same as ever — pathetic."

"That's unaccounted for," he growled out, feeling offended for the first time. He only wanted to be friendly, but she was still clearly bitter about what he did way back.

"Oh, is it?" She flared out, her eyes shining like green fire. "But I think men who gape openly at —" Her eyes widened, while his grudge vanished. So he was right…she was watching him while he flirted deliberately with the blonde. Grinning his victory, he stared at her flushed face.

"You were watching me," he said gloatingly. "I knew it. Knew you'd be jealous," his face looked incredibly smug.

"I-AM-NOT," she said through gritted teeth. "Anyway, it hardly matters. That is beside the case."

"Is it?"

"Yes, it is. I merely wanted to say that…that was pathetic, yes. That's it."

"Was it?" He asked softly, dangerously. The grin faded from his face. "I take it no one's ever flirted with you before. That's the only way you can have that low opinion of us poor, normal people."

"Are you insinuating I'm not normal? God, not all men do what you do!" She flared out, eyeing him with apparent distaste.

"Maybe if you loosened up a bit, you'll find flirting's not as bad as it looks." He sighed out. "You're so uptight, do you know that?"

She said nothing, but her pursed lips spoke of her disapproval.

"Don't worry," he said, his eyes dancing with mischief. "It's my pleasure to initiate you to the real world, sugar."

"You are so…!" She started, only to be interrupted by the blonde woman he was gaping at earlier. She had stood up from her seat, now standing up in front of them.

"Excuse me," she said with a sweet smile, sounding apologetic. He frowned thoughtfully at her.

"Yes?" Sakura snapped, too peevishly. She was unaware of how she appeared like a jealous girlfriend to the woman.

"I can't help but overhear your argument," she said cautiously. "I'm really sorry about it."

"About what?" Sakura had the grace to look bewildered.

"You're clearly arguing over what happened earlier. I didn't know that he's already…taken." Sakura's eyes widened as the woman went on. "I'm sorry; it was nothing, really, just a little harmless bit of flirting. You shouldn't be so unforgiving of your man."

"My man?" Sakura parroted incredulously. "You can't be saying that…that…"

(Author's Commercial: I'm having fun here…-grins-)

"I really am sorry. Don't make a fuss of it." The blonde winked at both of them before walking back to her seat.

He stifled a laugh as he saw Sakura's expression.

"Can't blame her, honey — your eyes were all daggers while gazing at her," he said in a honeyed voice, annoying Sakura even more.

"Oh, I don't believe this!" She gestured wildly with her arms before she looked away, huffing indignantly. He heard her mutter a clear "How conceited…" under her breath.

He can't take it anymore. He laughed out loud.

**Sakura **eyed Syaoran with pure anger and hatred. Why, the man was laughing at her expense!

"You're not exactly attractive," she said scathingly, hoping to anger him with that remark. She could handle the teasing and the anger, but not this laughing, suddenly-charming male, she decided. But her remark made him laugh even harder.

"Now I'm sure you're lying," he said smugly. "C'mon, she's….well, I won't trade you for the world, sweetheart, so why won't you forgive me my moment of fun?"

Drat him! He was enjoying this, wasn't he?

"I'm through with this," she said, deciding to ignore him altogether.

"Have a heart, darling…I can't live without you!" (Author's really laughing out loud at this point)

She gritted her teeth, pretending not to hear him.

"Oh, dear me, she's really mad, isn't she?" She heard a man's voice said from behind them. Sakura stiffened. Was everyone watching them, for Pete's sake? Mortified, she gazed wildly around her to see the passengers staring at them. Some looked at Syaoran with pity, while most women looked at her understandingly.

"You can't blame the girl, though…"

"Yeah, that was tasteless of him…"

"But must she be so unforgiving?"

"He's a sweet boy, don't you think so, John?"

"Well…"

She blinked, feeling foolish. What the hell? He just made a spectacle of her — again! Why, the incorrigible — !

She tried to ignore all the tutting and shaking of heads.

_These people don't know anything at all!_

She suddenly felt like she was fifteen again, and she imagined these people were her classmates, all turned to meanies. Always, it was the same, a self-pitying voice said in her head. He made her the butt of jokes. She was always the object of his mischief.

"Always, you were the same, Li," she said coldly, not looking at him anymore, his voice a mere whisper. "Why do you love to humiliate me?"

**Syaoran** froze. Her eyes were misty, and he was certain she was about to cry.

"I…I don't," he denied, panicking. He felt small all of a sudden. He didn't mean to infuriate her or humiliate her or anything. He thought she would see the humor in their situation, but apparently she did not. "Believe me, Sakura, I don't."

"That's Kinomoto to you, Li, and I'd rather you don't talk to me."

"I…I…Damn it, it…I…Look, I was…it was just…I was just having fun, for heaven's sake!"

"At my expense?" She said, turning her eyes on him. Tears glistened behind the green depths, and Syaoran could have kicked himself.

"No…I…it was…I meant to share the fun with you! C'mon, why must you be so uptight?"

"Because I don't find it funny — not in the least." She turned away from him again.

"Oh, loosen up, Sakura…" He groaned out, feeling frustrated to find that she was still the same, after all. Still damned serious and uptight — or maybe it was because of what he had been to her. Maybe she still saw her in the same light. Maybe she still feared to get too close to him.

Or maybe she still thought him the superficial, shallow boy from school.

But damn it, he was not. He would prove to her he was not.

"All right, I'm sorry." He said gruffly. "Now will you please stop sulking? It's…it's not a matter to cry about."

"I'm not crying! And you don't really mean that."

"Maybe I do. Or maybe not. But how the hell will you know when you're not even looking at me?" His hand shot out, cupping her face, forcing her to look at him.

"Will you let go of me?" She hissed, shoving him away.

"Not until you say you forgive me."

"Oh, does it really matter?"

"Believe me when I say it does."

"Oh…for heaven's sake. Fine, you're forgiven, drat you!" She said, pushing him away.

"Why do you hate me so?" He asked softly, not really meaning to say it out loud.

"What?"

"Why do you hate me so?" He repeated, holding his gaze with hers.

"I…I don't hate you," she stammered, looking confused. "Don't be stupid."

"But you dislike me," he stated. "You're still thinking of what I did…back then."

"No, I don't," she said quickly, not meeting his eyes. That was enough answer to him.

"Let's have a truce." He stated. "For old times' sake, Sakura."

"What do you mean? It's not as if we'll meet again. We'll go on separate ways after this…ride…" She said flatly, too quietly.

"What if I don't mean to lose sight of you again?" Syaoran prodded. "Won't you give me a chance to redeem myself in your eyes?"

"I don't see the point."

"But I do," he said. "So, what of it? We'll have breakfast after we arrive."

"I'm tired," she said, looking away.

"C'mon, agree with me that it's a good idea. Just so we stop holding grudges against each other." _Not that I ever held a grudge against you._

"Well…" She cleared her throat. "That is one of the sensible things you've said."

"That means I've said more than one sensible thing," he said with a smile. "So do you agree to it?"

"I'll think about it." She said, but there was a new light in her eyes…was it mischief?

"That's good enough for me."

"I didn't say yes yet."

"But you didn't say no either. That's good enough for me."

"It really depends if I have the time."

"You're on vacation, aren't you?"

"Well, yes…"

He grinned at that point. She can't back out now.

"Oh, very well. Truce?"

"Truce." He said with a tender smile.

**Moments** later, Sakura still can't believe she agreed to that foolishness.

He was different now, she decided.

Different from the childish kid who made her cry too many times…though he never knew of that.

Will he ever find out, though?

He may never find out.

Why did she agree? Maybe because he asked nicely…

Then she remembered the purpose of her vacation. The story, of course!

She smiled, knowing it's a good start to her story.

TBC

A/N: See you next chap! Had fun writing this one. Really.


	6. Chapter 5: A First In Everything

Finding Love

Witch-Mistress-Animaru

A/N: I'm having writer's block here, folks. I guess I want to write another story instead of this today. The title is conceived today, though.

(A/N written August 17, 2007)

Sorry if it doesn't feel too much, I mean not much action. I swear the next one's action-packed.

5: A First in Everything

The ride from the airport was unbelievably quick. Sakura was having second thoughts again as the taxi passed by the familiar surroundings of Tomoeda.

It has been too long, she admitted even to herself. The apprehension of meeting her family again, especially her estranged brother sent butterflies fluttering in her stomach.

Memories of her childhood flitted through her thoughts as the cab skidded to a halt outside the huge Li mansion.

"I'll see you later, right, Sakura?" Was she imagining it or is there really a hint of uncertainty in his voice?

"Oh, sure," she said absently as she fidgeted in her seat.

"See you later, then," he smiled a bit boyishly then bent down to kiss her on the cheek.

Before she knew what hit her, Syaoran alighted from the cab and was gone.

Sakura touched her cheek absently and a dreamy smile made its way to her lips.

_He's not so bad, is he?_

However, she forgot all about him as the cab skidded to a halt in front of her old home in Tomoeda. Cold apprehension doused all thoughts of her renewed acquaintance with Li Syaoran.

She was here. She was not dreaming. It wasn't a nightmare, was it?

She paid the fare and went out, carrying her bags with her.

For a long moment she stood there, outside their door, looking like some stupid fool while she thought how her brother and father will react.

_It's been years...years since she walked out of their home crying, years since she walked out of their lives and left Japan and flew to California to pursue her degree in Creative Writing._

She could still remember it so well.

_She had come home from school feeling like a ball of nerves. She had been the receiving end of Li Syaoran's weird ideas for a joke._

_She had just slammed the door shut when she saw a stranger sitting in their living room. She had gray eyes...rather exactly like her brother's eyes, actually. Her hair was wavy and was flowing freely on her shoulders. There was apprehension in her face._

_Sakura did not need to ask who the woman was._

_  
It was her mother, Amamiya Nadeshiko._

_The person she abhorred the most._

_Nadeshiko stood up, her eyes brimming with tears. Sakura stiffened and took a step backward when Nadeshiko reached out for her. She saw the hurt in her mother's eyes before she turned away and ran upstairs._

_She walked in on her brother and father talking in grievous tones._

"_...makes no sense not to tell her, Dad," Touya was saying. "She knows, doesn't she, what Mother has been doing all her life?"_

"_Sakura hates her...you know that, don't you?"_

"_She's old enough to understand! Don't you think so?"_

"_She tends to be irrational when it comes to mother. I noticed how she hated all those other actors and actresses. She hates showbiz, father."_

"_Nadeshiko... I let her go because she said it was what she wanted. You can't blame her. As for this, well, she's trying to make amends, doesn't she?"_

"_I...I know that, Dad, but...Sakura..."_

"_I'm home," Sakura whispered from the doorway, and the two men gazed at her at the same time._

"_Sakura...you know who is downstairs?"_

"_Yes."_

"_Did she greet you? Did you greet her?"_

"_Why should I?" She asked loudly. "I don't need her. We don't need her, do we?"_

"_How can you say that, Sakura?" Fujitaka said sharply, gazing sternly at his daughter._

"_But it's true. I don't need her!" Crack. Touya strode forward and his palm cracked against Sakura's cheek._

"_She may have left us, but you can't talk that way about our mother!" _

_Sakura stared at her brother, shocked. "You...you hit me, oniichan!"_

"_Goodness knows, you deserve it. Now go down and greet her, will you? You don't know what she's been through."_

"_I hate you, oniichan, otousan!" She screamed out before she ran away._

"_You shouldn't have hurt her like that, Touya," she heard her father say before the door closed._

_She arrived downstairs and saw her mother looking at her with concern. She didn't care. She went out of the house and went to Tomoyo's._

_Everything, every single awful thing she felt about her mother, fourteen years worth of pain and anger for her mother, poured out that night._

"_There, now, it can't be bad, Sakura-chan," Tomoyo had said, but did not say anything else._

_She cried like rain that night, remembering how awful she felt whenever it was family day and everyone had mothers and she had none. She remembered asking her father about her mom and he says her mother is famous in the west, an actress, and that she should be proud of her._

_As she grew up, however, she began to question the wisdom of her mother's decisions. She realized how selfish it was. Then she saw the ugliness and hypocrisy of showbiz._

_And she decided to just hate everything to do with showbiz, seeing as it took her mother from her. In the end the hate turned to her mother and she chose not to care anymore._

_She returned home late that night and her mother was gone. She did not talk to her brother and father and instead walked upstairs straight to her room and cried some more._

_She thought that put an end to it, but no, her mother had come the next day, informing her that they (she decided 'they' meant her father and mother) thought it's better if they get better acquainted and she spent the upcoming summer with her mother._

_Touya never apologized to her. And she was never the same again for the next few weeks of school left._

_Then she graduated and her mom took her to California._

_She remained cold towards Nadeshiko, unknowing that her mother was dying of cancer. She decided to study college in the States, and in her first semester in her freshman year her mother's disease worsened and she got hospitalized. By the second semester, Nadeshiko died, leaving Sakura alone in a strange country. Her will was read and Sakura learned she was already a multi-millionaire, in US dollars._

_However, guilt had taken its toll by then, even though pride had kept her from contacting her family in Japan. She had stayed, lonely and guilty and scared._

_And in the end she found solace in writing. In her miserly state she was able to procure wonderful words to express all emotions in a piece of paper._

_Then Tomoyo had come to visit her abroad and tell her she's headed to Paris to pursue a degree in fashion design. During summers she would come and visit Sakura in LA, and when both girls graduated, both moved to New York to pursue separate careers in writing and fashion._

_They were inseparable, until a year ago when Tomoyo had gotten married to a man she met in London a long time ago, Hiiragizawa Eriol. Tomoyo had found her true love with a man she met one summer and every summer thereafter in England, every time she went there to take a break from studies and work. Now she was busy being a housewife in London to her businessman for a husband._

_Sakura had written her love story and got her first bestseller for it._

_And she decided to put her past behind her, to forget everything about Japan. Until Tomoyo had forced her into a vacation she did not want to take._

Suddenly, the door opened and all thoughts flew out her mind as she gazed at her brother.

"Sakura..." His eyes held wonderment at his sister's sudden arrival.

"Onii...oniichan." She gasped out, and her eyes brimmed with tears. She dashed forward, all anxieties forgotten as she threw her arms around her brother. "I'm sorry...I'm sorry..."

Touya glanced at his sobbing sister and patted her on the back, a tender smile on his face.

"Welcome home."

---

A few hours later, Sakura sat on her bed, eyes red and puffy. She had spent the whole day bawling while she spoke to her brother about her life in New York now. Catching up with each other was a little difficult, seeing as she kept on bursting to tears at odd moments.

She did not know how to cancel her arrangement with Syaoran, and her brother insisted that she spend the day in the house.

So she fidgeted upstairs, knowing her brother can be overprotective at times and may gang up on her date for the evening.

She came down at seven just when the bell rang. Her brother arrived there first and before she knew it, he was face to face with Li Syaoran.

"Who are you?" Touya asked aggressively with a scowl.

"Li Syaoran, sir. Is your sister in?"

"Matte," Touya looked around and saw his sister looking forbidding at him. "Sakura, do you know this brat?"

"Yes, oniichan, and he's not a brat, so..."

"Aren't you that cocky guy on TV years ago?"

"Oniichan!"

"Glad you still remember. Yeah, I appeared on TV years ago."

He looked questioningly at Sakura, who quickly walked towards the two.

"We were classmates in high school, oniichan," she explained. "And we met in the plane earlier. I agreed to have dinner with him."

"Aren't you a bit jetlagged, brat?" He asked her, and she shook her head.

"It's only dinner, oniichan."

"Oh, very well." Then to her surprise, Touya opened the door wider. "Come in."

"What?" Syaoran uttered the word at the same time as she did.

"Well, my sister's having dinner at home tonight. So if you made any plans, cancel it. You're welcome to stay for dinner."

Sakura gulped. It looks like her brother was buying trouble.

Will Syaoran survive her brother's grilling? How did the evening turn out this way?

And why, oh why, was her brother not being the usual meanie?

_My brother's up to something. He has to be. Or else..._

"Feel comfortable here. Sakura, you can rest a bit upstairs." Her brother called as he went back to the kitchen. "Dinner's on me tonight."

She gazed at Syaoran, nodded at him before going upstairs. She had to write this down. She had to.

She encountered many firsts that day...

TBC

A/N: Oh well...this feels like a bit of filler even when it helps the plot. Maybe because there's not much action yet. Watch out the Dinner Fiasco next chapter.


	7. Chapter 6: Dinner Fiasco

Finding Love

Witch-Mistress-Animaru

A/N: Delusional. Raving mad. I guess I feel I'm losing my touch in fiction writing.

6: Dinner Fiasco

Dinner was normally a subdued affair at the Kinomoto household. Touya normally dined alone—Fujitaka spent late hours of the night working at the university.

However, just for tonight, Touya phoned his father earlier, informing him of his daughter's presence at home. Fujitaka deemed to get away from work as quickly as he could; he wanted nothing more than to spend the rest of the day with his children for once.

Yet another surprise fell on the household earlier on the evening. It seemed that dinner won't be subdued and distasteful, nor will it be a private family affair. Just a few hours upon arriving, Sakura Kinomoto already has a visitor on her beck and call, to her brother's silent displeasure.

Frankly, he's not intent on sharing his sister for a long period of time, since it was only today that their falling out was ever settled.

In short, Syaoran's intrusion to dinner that night was an unwelcome one.

It was hardly any surprise, therefore, that the evening turned out to be a bit of fiasco.

Thanks to a particular meddlesome sibling and an infuriatingly conceited (in said sibling's opinion) suitor.

It happened thus:

Sakura sat across Syaoran in the family room, feeling more awkward by the minute as her brother kept bustling about and bursting into the room at odd moments.

Almost as if he was deliberately trying to walk in on a potentially embarrassing scene.

And have an excuse to murder Syaoran on the spot.

_Oh, to hell with it,_ Sakura thought exasperatedly as she and Syaoran tried desperately to start a conversation which ended quite abruptly every time Touya entered the room. Pregnant pauses and embarrassing, deafening silences filled the air with tension.

Trust her brother to just know how to annoy the hell out of her, and to think she was here to make amends. Supposedly.

_Does a truce mean I can't beat some sense to his ever-overprotective brain?_ She thought with a sigh.

"What's that for?" Syaoran suddenly asked, breaking the awkward silence filling the air.

"Eh?" Sakura answered stupidly, taken aback by the question.

"I swear I heard you sigh. I wonder why," he stated with a small smile on his lips. Really, he can be cute if he wished to. She pondered on why she never noticed just how expressive his eyes were, even the innate masculinity of his face.

She never fully appreciated Li Syaoran as a _man_ before. Maybe because he was so childish that she refused to see the lethal attraction she could feel for him.

"What?" She asked yet again, blushing as she realized that she was staring at him and not taking in a single word he was saying. "Sorry, my mind was drifting off." She said with a wince.

"It's quite alright," he said, his eyes twinkling, as if he knew exactly why her mind was wandering away. "I asked why you were sighing, but I guess it's immaterial and rather an obvious attempt for small talk."

_Was she even sighing?_ She thought stupidly. She completely forgot why she was sighing, if she was sighing. Then, before she could gather her wits for an acceptable retort, her brother was back in the room, clearing his throat loudly as he glanced at the pair seated at the sofa who, for some reason, looked every bit guilty even though they were miles apart.

"Dinner's almost ready," he announced, clearing his throat once more as he glared at Syaoran with narrowed eyes.

"O-of course, oniichan."

"And I'd rather you watch out for Dad. He's bound to be home any moment."

"Yes, of course, we will."

"And you keep your hands to yourselves, both of you," he said grumpily as he stalked out of the room once more.

Sakura turned to Syaoran the same moment he did.

"I—"

"I—"

"You go first," Syaoran said as he crossed his arms.

"I'm really sorry for my brother's abominable behavior. It's perfectly normal, I assure you. He breathes fire like a dragon to anyone who so much as looked at me twice."

"I gathered that," he said wryly before he turned serious. "Listen, I think I should go before your brother blows his weasel completely."

"No, really. That will only bring satisfaction to that big meanie. We can weather this out—I'll help you out, I swear."

He smiled in such a conceited way that she wanted to withdraw her plea which sounded suddenly very...desperate.

"Now don't get any ideas. I mean, I'd rather I don't owe you any other dates from now," she blurted out. Yet instead of incensing him, Syaoran merely chuckled.

"That much is clear, I think," he said, his shoulders shaking.

And suddenly dinner didn't seem a dreadful thing as their conversation flowed freely despite Touya's attempts to interrupt them.

---

Fujitaka arrived ten minutes later and a very, very grumpy to the point of scary Touya ushered them to the dining room.

After having caught up with his daughter, Fujitaka looked much younger indeed. He received Syaoran's presence with curiosity and a bit of delighted surprise.

His father's reaction to their unwanted (in Touya's case, that is) guest's sudden appearance at dinner did not enhance Touya's mood. In fact, at any rate, it seemed to have worsened his interfering matter to straightforward aggressiveness. It was evident that he invited Syaoran to warn (or rather scare) him off from courting Sakura.

And he turned downright nasty towards the end.

They have retired to the family room once more, Syaoran looking as if he suffered from severe indigestion.

"Are you well, son?" Fujitaka asked kindly as he stared at the boy with pity and a certain amount of respect. None of Sakura's past admirers ever made it through dinner without getting discouraged. In fact, none _stayed_ for dinner. Some even ran to the opposite direction at the mere sight of Touya. Certainly the fact that he made it through dinner, certainly not unscathed but in one piece still, was something of a rare feat.

"Yes, sir. Just a bit of upset stomach, I think."

"My cooking's excellent," Touya interjected vehemently, quietly daring Syaoran to contradict him.

"Touya," Fujitaka said warningly as he smiled at Syaoran rather painfully.

"Of course it was," Syaoran agreed amiably. "An excellent meal, I mean."

"It was wonderful, wasn't it?"

"Yes it was," Sakura answered this time. "Except for your noxious behavior," she added in an undertone meant to be heard. Syaoran hastily turned his laugh into a hacking cough.

Touya gritted his teeth as the exchange of pleasantries went on, the tension mounting to unbearable degrees as he continued throwing increasingly vile comments and taunts.

"It's getting late, don't you think so?" Touya said loudly, glancing at the clock which read 8:23, rather too early for "late." "I think you ought to go, boy," he said, openly asking Syaoran to leave (rather rudely at that too) as he feigned a yawn. "We're off to an early start tomorrow."

Sakura wanted to point out that tomorrow was Sunday, which usually meant that everyone stayed at their homes or visited amusement and leisure parks. But that meant antagonizing his brother more than ever, so she kept her mouth shut, though she wanted nothing but scream in frustration.

The whole affair was plain torture that Touya ought to be executed, she thought vehemently.

Even as she bade her guest goodbye, she could feel her brother's heated gaze on them. He stood some few meters away as they exchanged their goodbyes. Maybe he was silently hoping for some "improper" gesture so he could harm Syaoran physically at the least.

It was beyond annoying. She was at a loss on how to call her brother's behavior, which bordered on annoying, embarrassing and evil all at once.

"Abominable" couldn't come close to defining it.

Sakura was so angry she refused to talk to him all night (the truce has ended rather abruptly) and she went to bed feeling like a ball of nerves.

The next morning, when Sakura opened her eyes, groaning as she did so, she had no idea why she felt so dreadful. Then, as the last shadows of sleep left her mind, she opened her eyes and let out a strangled cry.

"I—am—going—to—kill—him!" She screamed as she remembered the events of the previous night.

She pushed the blanket away from her furiously as she rose from bed.

Going through her morning rituals in a haze, she was dressed in a few minutes and was marching down the stairs almost immediately.

"Good morning, Sakura," her brother smiled innocently at her as she stepped towards him.

"Oniichan, you big meanie, you haven't change one bit!" She screeched as she sat down on her usual seat.

"I have no idea what you're talking about. Dad left early, you know. He'll be back soon enough, though."

"Oh, to hell with it. I'm obviously not going to get you to answer to your sins. I'm off to meet him today anyway, so—"

Thud. Touya dropped the pan on the stove rather forcefully and his lips thinned to an angry line. "You're still seeing that brat, despite our obvious disapproval?"

"You don't disapprove of Syaoran, you disapprove my entertaining anyone." She huffed indignantly. "And honestly, he'll do as well as anyone else. Better than most, in fact, I believe, and you know it."

Touya eyed her warily, his thoughts traipsing to what transpired the previous night. He guessed it was true when they say that old habits die hard. He knew he wasn't supposed to meddle with Sakura's affairs anymore; she was, after all, all grown up—but damn it, that brat of a suitor had been too familiar with his little sister for his own good.

Yet here she was defying him for that dandy boy (of course he wasn't the least bit dandy, but Touya will never admit it). Not that he had any right at all to control her life, he admitted grudgingly.

He was just scared of losing his sister forever; he realized it as Sakura finished her toast in absolute, indignant and miffed silence and headed for the door without another word to him.

And dear God, he feared losing her to another person more, someone else she could belong to, than he feared losing her to her dreams of success before...

TBC


	8. Chapter 7: A Trip Down Memory Lane

Finding Love

Witch-Mistress-Animaru

A/N: Stupid and incompetent—that is what I have been of late. The beginning of the story can actually apply to this humble author as well. Especially the first line.

Some scenes described later are twists on the scene from The Sealed Card and the first meeting of Touya and Syaoran in the series. I'm sure you remember those.

7: A trip down memory lane

(Of old friends, overprotective brothers, and

renewed acquaintances with an undiscovered suitor)

Sakura was having a writer's block.

For the past three days, she has not written a single sentence, let alone a word on her novel-slash-autobiography _Finding Me._ It was stupid, especially since all she really had to do was chronicle her not-so-colorful life and translate it to words, add a little nicety and fiction here and there, and pass it off as her new novel.

Trouble was that she found most of her experiences too dull for a novel, let alone a romantic, journey of self-discovery type of fiction.

And then when she wrote her embarrassing moments, she would frantically delete all evidence of her past naiveté and gullibility.

What with all the typing and deleting, she realized she had not added anything on her story, nothing at all.

_So sue me,_ she thought darkly as she finally decided to turn off her computer, accepting the fact that her mind has turned to a stupid, blank slate.

She can't believe it. Writer's block was exactly what brought her to this little trip down old memory lane, so why the hell can't she write anything without deleting it after?

She definitely isn't a newbie, not with the numerous bestseller novels and advice columns she'd written. But her old dilemma was back, so she had to stop and try to clear her head enough to write again.

She glanced at the clock beside her bed. It was only four in the afternoon. Plenty of time to laze around, she decided.

But where would she go?

_Hmm. Maybe a nice walk around town will help._ She took her sling bag and strapped it on. After stuffing several items unceremoniously inside, she stood up from bed, took several bills from her desk and dashed outside.

"I'm going out," she called to no one in particular as she descended on the short flight of stairs.

"Take care," her father called out as she ran off.

"Where are you going and who're you with?" Touya demanded even as she reached the door.

"I'm off to see a couple of old school friends, and I'm not fifteen years old, oniichan!" She stuck her tongue out at her brother before slamming the door shut behind her.

"Oi, come back here!" Touya called out. "Who's going with you?"

"Let her be, Touya," Fujitaka said softly as Touya swore. "Your sister's right, she's no longer some teenager you can protect from the big, bad world."

"That's what I am worried about…" Touya's voice trailed off. _She's not a kid anymore…how will I ever protect her from getting hurt now? How will I hide her away from pain and sorrow now, when she's so grown-up?_

Sakura pace slowed down as she gained distance from their house.

_Really, he can be such a pain sometimes…_ she thought, amused by the memory of her brother annoying the hell out of her with his antics back in high school. She remembered squabbling with him and his overprotective nature.

And she remembered a particularly nasty scene back then and laughed. That was when she realized she was in Penguin Park.

Sitting down on one of the benches, she took out her notebook and started writing, the first time in days.

**From the pages of the **_**Searching for me **_**manuscript**

_Don't you think older brothers are a pain in the neck? Well, let me tell you this, mine was absolutely unbearably overprotective, and that's no exaggeration. He was the most annoying part of my growing-up days._

_I remember him breathing over our necks every time friends of mine came over the house, especially if there was a boy present in the group (except Yamazaki, my friend Chiharu's boyfriend, whom he counted off as rather harmless), which was a rare occurrence. _

_However, one time, I was working on some homework with my assigned partner (who happened to be the most unbearable pain-in-the-ass back then, and to think I just met him again!) and we had to do it at my home, because his was…well, unavailable. _

_Actually, reporters were swarming the area, _Sakura added in her mind.

_So we went to my house. And my brother was there and fiasco soon broke out. It's strange that my brother cannot remember him coming over when they met years later yesterday, since he was most obnoxious back that day. I mean, he seemed to hate this particular classmate for no reason at all, except that he's a boy who came home with me one day. He never minded that it was for mandatory reasons, due to our homework._

_We were alone, at first. And I was forced to cook pasta quickly for us to eat. I saw some cake in the fridge so I served us some too. Then Li started acting funny, I really don't know what got to him. _

_His face was oddly red, and I think he might have found our house a trifle hotter than he was used to (might he have gotten a fever? I never knew and never asked). However, I grew a bit worried if he was all right, because he actually knocked the sugar over when I served us some tea—his hands were shaking badly. And as I said, his face was flushed. I was helping him replace the sugar and my hand accidentally brushed his—when my brother entered the threshold._

_It was the scene he witnessed, and as my brother has been known for making mountains out of molehills, he went over the moon as he saw that we were, at some point, holding hands (we were actually replacing the sugar which Li upended). He blew off his steam then and there, sparks flew everywhere and I was amazed that Li came out of that one alive._

_Well, it was a good thing that my brother's friend was with him, or else it would really have been one big bloody mess. They ate dinner at my house rather quickly (I think my brother wanted to keep his eyes on us the whole time, but Yukito-san didn't let him) then my brother resumed to spying us while we did the homework._

_I went inside for a few minutes, but when I returned, Li was already saying his farewell to me. I walked him out and he looked weirdly at me before he left. Out of courtesy, I offered to walk him to the bus stop but he declined (he was looking over my shoulder, so I presumed he saw my brother scowling at him and got scared, which was a good thing in my opinion)._

_And that was the end of that. I'm glad both of them forgot that day, anyway. I never did forget it, and I oftentimes wonder why._

**End of excerpt**

Sakura set down her pen and looked around, hoping to see a familiar face. When she saw none, she walked on, trying their old haunts and hang-outs.

--

As it happened, Sakura's memory lacked a most important detail which both Syaoran and Touya remember clearly.

Touya had only feigned forgetting the brat, but he remembered the day they actually met, unbeknownst to Sakura.

_He was headed to the local high school to bring Sakura's lunch when he first saw Li Syaoran. He was seated on top of a tree, looking intently at Sakura in a way that Touya never cared for. His temper boiled then and there that he called the boy's attention._

"_Oi, you! Gaki!" The boy turned, indignant at the way he has been addressed and lightly embarrassed for being caught eyeing a girl._

"_What do you want, okina (old man)?"The insult didn't bring the desired effect as Touya approached the boy with a murderous intent._

"_I don't like the way you're staring at Sakura, brat," he called in._

"_You know her?" He asked, surprised._

"_I'm her brother, and if you know what's good for you, you'd back off!"_

"_What? You, her brother? I never thought…"_

"_You heard me, brat, so stay away from her! Hey, aren't you that stupid Chinese kid at the movies? You can have a hoard of pretty girls, so leave her alone, or else…" he cracked his fists menacingly._

_Syaoran didn't need another word of warning; the message was clear. He ran off as Touya sought his sister to hand over her lunch._

_Then he saw the gaki again, and at their house, too, with Sakura's hand resting on his hand. So Touya blew off his steam once more. Then, when Sakura left for a moment, he re-issued his warning to the gaki._

"_I thought I told you to stay away from her."_

"_It meant nothing. But even if I were pursuing her, what would you do about it?" Syaoran challenged._

"_Everything I can…listen, my sister's still young. She can do a lot of things without worrying about a relationship of any sort. You're just a kid as well! Think about that!"_

"_So if we were older, this won't be an issue anymore?" Touya did not answer; his jaws were clamped together tightly. "You know what I think? You have too much sense of protectiveness for your sister that you won't let her do what she wants if it means losing her."_

"_Damn it, you say too much, gaki," he warned._

"_It's true, you know. But don't worry—I have no inclination to pursue her…for now," he added almost as an afterthought. "Besides…she hates me," he finished, as if it settled the matter._

_If anything, Touya was even less reassured of Syaoran's observations that he talked to Sakura immediately after the latter left._

"_I'm telling you, that boy is no good, especially for you. Stay away from him."_

"_You don't need to tell me that, oniichan. I already know he's a pain in the neck, believe me."_

_Somehow, however, Touya was really worried._

And that had been that. Then Sakura left, and Touya cannot protect her anymore. Hell, they fell apart because of that one unrestrained moment.

Then, she returned, years later, all grown up—and still, the gaki was with her.

Touya was alarmed upon seeing Li Syaoran with his sister. For a moment, he thought the two of them were having a long-term relationship without his knowledge.

How relieved he was when he learned that they just met on the plane…though that sounded dodgy to him that he can't help but be rude to the boy (truth be told, Syaoran is very much a man now, though to Touya he will never amount to anything but _the gaki_ who went stealing his sister from him).

They weren't left alone this time, but just before Syaoran said goodbye, he whispered to Touya, upon passing.

"_It's getting late, don't you think so?" Touya had said loudly, sending a pointed glance to Syaoran. "I think you ought to go, boy," he said, openly asking Syaoran to leave as he feigned a yawn. "We're off to an early start tomorrow."_

_Syaoran stood up, followed by his sister who was shooting dagger glances at him the same way he was doing to Syaoran._

"_We're grown up now. She's gone places, so have I. You can't say we're too young anymore. Maybe my courting her won't be an issue to you anymore?" Li Syaoran had said, eyeing him with silent challenge to contradict him before he turned away._

Then he went on to where Sakura was waiting for him and left.

And Touya was really, really worried that this time, he might be losing Sakura for good.

And to that stupid gaki, too.

--

Sakura went to visit her old school. She remembered being out in the field with her notebook, writing out some scenes and all that stuff. She could remember Tomoyo pestering her to put the notes down and _please _talk to her.

Ah…those were the days…

…until the famous Li Syaoran made his way to the school and made her own life a living hell, that is.

"How can I help you?" A soft voice said behind her and she turned around to see a pretty woman donned in teacher's uniform, a kind smile on her face, her belly rounded, indicating she was pregnant.

She smiled, remembering her favorite teacher Kaho Mizuki.

"Oh…nothing, I was just…" she stopped when she realized that the woman was Rika Sasaki, her schoolmate back then. "Rika Sasaki, is that you?" She squealed. Although Tomoyo was her best friend, she had a circle of friends back then, which included Rika.

Rika was timid and the shyest among them. Naoko had the wildest imagination and like Sakura, she had wieldy power with a pen. Chiharu was the most sensible among the group (except perhaps Tomoyo, who was both the smartest and most popular not only in the group but the whole year). Chiharu's boyfriend, Takashi Yamazaki also hung out with them oftentimes.

And Rika was here now, teaching.

"Do I know you?" Rika asked, frowning. Then she remembered. "Sakura? Is it really you? Where did the glasses go?" They squealed and hugged each other tightly, catching up with each other's lives.

Sakura learned that Rika had gone and married Terada-sensei, and was now pregnant with their first child. Terada-sensei was now a college professor after earning his master's degree later, while Rika taught elementary students like he used to.

Naoko was now a locally-famous writer of fantasy and adventure stories for kids (no surprise there, she thought). Chiharu and Yamazaki were still together, something that amazed her so.

"I think they're still going on-and-off for sometime now. I do wish they'd just go and get married instead of arguing about trivial stuff," Rika said, shaking her head. "Yamazaki's writing scripts for a local thriller show. He's trying for the movies, I've heard. Chiharu…well, she's an accountant now, which kind of surprises you. She hated math, remember? But you never really know."

By the time they parted, night had fallen and Sakura dashed back home, knowing her brother will be worried.

On the way home, she began writing again.

_Human lives do really take different turns upon parting. One never knows where one might be the next day or year…take our example, for instance—me and the dearest friends I have left years ago when I went to pursue college elsewhere…_

TBC

A/N: The best I could come up with on short notice. I think it turned out rather nicely for an unplanned, quickly-written chapter.


End file.
